NCJ Number
68558
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 31 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1980) Pages: 20-26
Date Published
1980
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A CANADIAN EXPERIMENT IN TREATING THE PRONOUNCED PERSONAL INADEQUACIES OF A GROUP OF SEX OFFENDERS UNDER PSYCHIATRIC CARE IN A BRITISH COLUMBIA HOSPITAL THROUGH ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THE SUBJECTS OF THIS SURVEY WERE SELECTED FROM A GROUP OF SEX OFFENDERS PARTICIPATING IN GROUP THERAPY UNDER A WARD PSYCHIATRIST, 85 PERCENT OF THE PATIENTS ALSO HAD DRUG AND/OR ALCOHOL ABUSE PROBLEMS. ONE GROUP RECEIVED ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING AND A CONTROL GROUP DID NOT. POSITIVE CHANGES IN THE SUBJECTS' PERSONALITIES TOWARDS ACHIEVING EMOTIONAL STABILITY, ASSERTIVENESS, AND TRUST WERE HYPOTHESIZED. DESPITE THE LIMITATIONS INHERENT IN THE PROGRAM, POSITIVE CHANGES WERE DETECTED WITHIN 12 WEEKS: INCREASED AWARENESS AND AN IMPROVED ATTITUDE TOWARD SELF AND OTHERS DID OCCUR, AND A GROUP ETHOS, ORIENTED TO ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING OBJECTIVES, WAS ONE FACTOR ATTESTING TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TRAINING. FURTHER RESEARCH WITH LARGER GROUPS AND MORE FOLLOWUP ARE RECOMMENDED TO ASCERTAIN THE PERMANENCE OF ANY CHANGE. TABLES AND GRAPHS AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED IN THE TEXT. AN APPENDIX GIVES THE ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING PROGRAM.